


Frayed at the Edge (like the cuffs of your jeans)

by orphan_account



Series: The Truth That Hurts [2]
Category: Funhaus (Video Blogging RPF), Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, FakeHaus, Fluff and Smut, Light Angst, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2020-11-08 15:21:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20837708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Adam's heat is late and of course this spurs on worry from his alphas and causes Adam to consider his position within the crew as a whole.





	Frayed at the Edge (like the cuffs of your jeans)

Whenever Adam comes out of the shower and either James or Lawrence are there—or both—one of two things happen. Either they’ll check him over before he gets a shirt on, dote over the rough scar that mars his shoulder and ensure he’s okay. Or they’ll scent him which might lead into an enthusiastic but quick round two that leaves Adam spent and exhausted on his bed sheets.

Today only one of those things happen. After Adam’s pulled on a loose pair of pants and comes into the kitchen still shirtless, James comes up behind him and presses his nose into his neck. Adam accepts this passively and moves with James’s hands now on his hips to get a cup of juice from the fridge.

“Mm, you smell good.”

“You’re just saying that because I used your body wash.”

“I know. And I have amazing taste.”

He steps back to let Adam get some food and take a seat at the breakfast bar, jutting out alongside the edge of the kitchen. James speaks after Adam’s gotten through most of his breakfast. “Omar’s today right?”

Adam nods.

“Just a general checkup or?”

“I want to be clear for the field, so he’s going to see what my range of movement is.”

“Adam—”

“James,” he says firmly, and James doesn’t press. Just when he was about to play his alpha card, tell Adam that it’s all right to let everything go and take it easy. But Adam knows himself. He knows his omega, and it’s time to get moving. He wants to be fully integrated with the crew again. He wants to be out there rather than checking over schematics or managing comms. “I feel fine. I’ve been doing physio. I do my exercises. I’ve started lifting weights again. I . . . I can manage it just like I did before. Nothing’s changed.”

By nothing he means becoming bonded to James and Lawrence, two alphas to his omega. And all of this is coming out after Adam outed himself without knowing it to a crew he’s been running with for many years now. It’s been six months since he was shot on a job and he’s finally at a place where the pain hardly affects him and is manageable even on bad days. He just wants James to know that he’s still himself, still capable of knowing when to step back, of listening to his body.

“I know.” James sets a hand on the table, offers a compromise. “But that’s not all I’m talking about.”

Adam frowns and it takes a moment for it to click for him.

“Oh. That.”

“Yeah. You going to bring it up with Omar?”

“Yeah. It’s not anything that big. I’m sure it’s nothing.”

James nods and taps the breakfast bar once. “Okay.”

* * *

His appointment is in the early afternoon, but he lets James rest against him at the front door. The typical alpha comfort position where Adam has a hand on the back of James’s neck and has pressed him into the crook of his neck. His hands are knotted into Adam’s t-shirt, holding him steady as he gets the comfort he needs. Adam’s started to notice this behaviour more and more. James, when not his usual confident self, worries and frets whenever anyone in the crew, the pack is hurt. And he just needs these small reminders that everyone’s okay, so when he sighs contently and straightens himself, Adam knows he’ll be okay until he gets back.

He’s been seeing a lot of Omar in the past six months. First every week after the surgery. Then every two after the first month for the next three months. And then every third or at least once a month to check on his progress and his range of movement.

He likes Omar’s operating theatre. It’s out of the way and in a quiet part of the city. Considering he dropped out of med school because of debt, Adam thinks Omar has done well for himself here. As well as you can do when you’re the go-to doctor for a lot of criminals in the city. Plus there’s usually a dog when Adam’s in for check-ups and he likes playing around with Bender when he’s here.

After Omar’s checked his range of motion, felt for any knots of scar tissue that had formed since the surgery and if they were impeding his ability, Adam musters up the courage to ask the question that’s been on his mind for the past two weeks.

“So, I haven’t had a heat in six months and that’s . . . that’s really late for me. So I just wanted to know what might be wrong.”

Omar sits down in the wheeled office chair at his desk. Bender rounds the examination table towards him. “What’s your cycle like?”

“Every four months. Three or four days. Been like that since I was nineteen I think?”

“Has anything changed for you in the last few months? Besides the obvious I mean?”

Adam snickers to himself and pulls on his shirt. “Nothing too much. Being with Lawrence and James—the bond—it’s nice. We’ve found a way to balance it and ourselves. But I feel fine. I don’t feel overwhelmed or stressed trying to juggle it all. Work is fine. Yeah, it’s going to get busier, but I’ve handled it before. And the crew doesn’t see me as anything less or, or different. So I don’t know what it could be.”

“Well,” Omar says, reaching down to scratch Bender’s ears. “It could be for a variety of reasons, but I think it has to do with pack bonds.”

Adam frowns.

“Your pack. The crew. Things have changed between them and you. Stuff you probably don’t notice, but it goes beyond what you have with James and Lawrence. Don’t hate me for saying this, but you’re the pack omega.”

“Huh.” Pack omegas aren’t all that common. But for them, the crew, Gunhaus, he should’ve expected it. He’ll build bonds with each of them in different ways. He’s become an integral part of their team on more than just gun running and heist planning. For the emotional weight as well. Ensuring everyone’s okay and looked after even though it’s mostly an afterthought for him. He won’t bond with Matt, the third alpha of the crew. They have a deep relationship, but not on the same level as with James and Lawrence. And then there are the betas, Bruce and Elyse. Adam relies on them in different ways. He relies on Bruce for his steady hand and level head. And going to see Elyse feels like coming home in a way. She has something that just makes all the thoughts in his head disappear. He appreciates them all in different ways, but he never gave a thought as to what he means to them.

Pack omegas are considered to be precious. Not in the stereotypical way omegas are usually portrayed as, but more as the pack understands the things that they do to keep order within the pack. If he hasn’t had a heat yet, it’s because he’s trying to adjust to these new demands.

“I wouldn’t worry about it,” Omar says, shrugging. “Give it a few weeks. Give your body time to adjust. Your heat might be a bit longer this time around, but if you run the risk of over seven days, make sure someone calls me, okay?”

Adam nods. “Thanks for the explanation I guess.” He laughs a little, self-consciously. He’s not all that comfortable talking about his body like this. It’s still something he’s getting used to.

The appointment comes to a close and Adam heads out with his clean bill of health. He tells James over the phone what happened while he and Lawrence curl up on his bed together later that night.

_“And he’s sure it’s nothing to be worried about?” _He’s spending a night at his place with Elyse—needed some time away and didn’t want Adam to think he was suffocating him; not that he was, but James is complicated.

“Nothing,” Lawrence says and maybe hearing it from him will make it stick. “It’s pack dynamics. Adam’s body is still figuring that part out.”

“Seriously, James, I feel fine and Omar sees no harm in me doing more stuff with the crew. As long as I don’t over extend myself, okay?”

_“Yeah. Okay.”_

“We’ll see you tomorrow?”

_“Yeah. That’d be great.”_

“Goodnight, James,” Lawrence says and Adam quickly repeats it before they end the call.

Adam sighs heavily as Lawrence sets the phone aside. He feels Lawrence sets a hand on his cheek. “You good?” he asks and Adam nods.

“Just tired.” He is feeling tired for once, not his usual restlessness that plagues him throughout the night.

Lawrence brushes his lips over his forehead. “Go to sleep. I’ll wake you in the morning.”

He does love how different James and Lawrence feel next to him. Lawrence tends to have a heavy arm, but James runs hotter. Sometimes he likes feeling smothered and held down by Lawrence. Not even in any sort of sexual way either. It’s just nice to have him there in bed because then Adam knows he won’t be waking up to an empty apartment. He rarely spends any night alone now and he’s grown to like it—prefer it to his previous isolation.

He sleeps deep and late that night. When he wakes, his mind doesn’t feel as clouded, and when he comes to the kitchen, he finds Lawrence has already made something for him.

“Can’t let you start the day without something to eat,” he says and Adam sits dutifully to eat it.

* * *

He’s twirling a pencil between his fingers as he looks down at the schematics of Bruce’s latest endeavor (the start-up district of Los Santos with all its cool tech and devices that will sell for a cool amount). He’s not really focused on it anymore. He’s let his gaze go unfocused. He’s been looking for potential weak points in the infrastructure, but he’s been feeling off all day. Tired. A deep sense of weariness in his bones. It’s an out of place feeling that he doesn’t know what to do with.

Hands in his hair and on his shoulders get his attention. He’s not spooked by the sudden presence but comforted. If he breathes in deeply enough, he can pick up the scent of who it is.

Scenting is weird for Adam. He doesn’t have the strongest nose, and the media likes to make it seem like omegas can pick out very specific scents of their mates and pack. Like vanilla or orange or coffee. It’s more muted than that, at least for Adam. He can’t pick out specific smells, but he knows the difference of everyone in the crew. And the person who has their hands in his hands and shoulders, nosing up against the back of his neck, smells like Matt. Clean and muted, much less so than James and Lawrence despite his alpha status.

Matt’s breathing him in, touching him gently, and Adam closes his eyes, drops the pencil on the table, and lets it happen. It’s scenting is what it is. They don’t needed to be mated, but they’re pack and Matt clearly feels the need to do this and Adam is more than willing to take it all.

“You smell good,” Matt says, nipping lightly at the back of Adam’s neck.

A thrill courses down his spine. James and Lawrence aren’t really into biting. For James it doesn’t really matter, and Lawrence doesn’t like the idea of biting Adam in a very obvious place, but it seems like Matt has a bit of a need for it. Not deeply enough where he’d want to leave a mark, but enough that he wants to be playful with Adam.

“Mm, feel good,” Adam says. He could do this all day he thinks. Let Matt scent him. Lie out somewhere comfortable and let Matt take the lead.

It’s this line of thought that gets Adam to stiffen, tense up. Matt stops and pulls away. “Something wrong?” he asks, unsure if he stepped over a boundary.

“Just . . . just feeling weird I guess,” Adam says, looking over his shoulder to assure Matt that he did nothing wrong.

“Need to go lay down? Take a break?”

Adam shakes his head and moves to stand. “I’m just going to get something to drink. Stretch my legs a bit.”

Matt follows him into the kitchenette and watches him get a glass of water. He’s too strung out for coffee or his usual Red Bull. Matt sets out on setting the kettle to boil and making his usual green tea. He takes off his sweater in the meantime. It’s a bit stuffy in the base, so Adam’s surprised Matt was still wearing one when he came in. He sets it on the counter and once his tea is made, he’s back into work mode. Adam follows him back to the desks and tables and Matt starts helping him finish with schematics and blueprints.

He isn’t even aware he took Matt’s sweater with him. It’s in his backpack when he gets home that night, sitting there inconspicuously like Adam didn’t just steal it from him. He knows Matt wouldn’t mind, but it’s there in his backpack and when he pulls it out to berate himself mentally, he’s caught by the smell of it. He brings it closer to his face and he’s struck by Matt’s scent. He can’t help but breathe deeply, and something settles in his gut, making him feel warm and rooted.

He brings it to his bed and when he’s ready for the night, he can’t help but continue to scent the sweater and rub his cheek against the material.

It takes another day for him to realize that he’s nesting and he’s nesting _badly. _

He really only nests around his heat and when he’s sleeping on his own, which isn’t that often anymore, but Matt’s sweater is now a permanent fixture on his bed and he’s not going to let go of it any time soon.

And it doesn’t end there with _just _Matt’s sweater. The next time he’s at James and Elyse’s for breakfast, he’s rifling through James’s drawers to find some clothes to wear after a shower. (He spent the night with them and it was lovely.) He pulls out one of James’s shirts .They’re the same size which is pretty convenient, but this one is washed clean, carries very little of James’s scent. And without really meaning to he drifts over to the closet. Some sweaters and nicer blouses hang there. A mix of both Elyse’s and James’s items. He comes to find one of Elyse’s sweaters, her old college sweater with the faded lettering and logo. It’s soft and well worn, something she only wears around the house. Adam carefully slips it off the hanger and brings it up to his face. He sniffs it, catches something reminiscent of Elyse’s shampoo.

He takes the sweater home with him and the next he sees her, she gives him a look like she _knows _but her smile is too playful for actually spilling Adam’s secret.

The next is one of Bruce’s tank tops. He usually wears them around his apartment or at the base when it’s hot out or when they make a trip down to the beach. It’s after one of their runs to the beach that Adam manages to get his hands on one. They’re planning to hit up a restaurant before heading off for the night and Bruce is getting changed out of the back of his SUV. Adam is standing by, trying to make sure there’s no sand in his hair and Bruce suddenly tosses his tank top in Adam’s direction. He fumbles to catch it as Bruce laughs and pulls on a t-shirt.

“You’re off your game,” he says. “You good?”

“Yeah. Of course I am.”

Bruce only shakes his head. “Come on. I’m starving.”

If Bruce notices that he’s missing his tank top at the end of the night, then he doesn’t say anything.

Adam’s apartment has slowly become a collection of different styles and items that belong to different people. It’s a lot of Lawrence’s and James’s belongings for sure, but Adam likes it that way.

Slowly his nest takes form. Blankets crumpled up for form higher edges in the center of the bed, articles of clothing he’s been stealing away for a few weeks now part of the walls that will encompass him.

A nest is meant to be calming and soothing. When he’s in heat, he likes the feeling of being surrounded on all sides. It’s an extra level of comfort and security and since Lawrence and James have noticed this behaviour of him, they’ve largely left it alone. They’re careful when they lie down in bed together.

It hits him one Thursday night when it’s just him and Lawrence. He’s been feeling rotten all day long and decided not to go into work. Lawrence decided to stay with him and keep an eye on him and the idea of it makes Adam feel surprisingly good and warm. Usually he dreads his heats, the time spent alone and _wanting, _but here Lawrence is, getting him food and drink whenever he needs it, massaging his feet, never requiring anything of Adam.

It’s shortly after dinner when it hits him. He’s lying on the couch when Lawrence finds him drenched in sweat. He’s hardly aware of Lawrence coming to his side until there’s a cool hand on his neck.

“You’re burning up. Hang on. I’ll get the bath ready.” He squeezes Adam’s neck firmly and leaves for a few minutes. He returns to help Adam to his feet, supporting him under one arm all the way to the bathroom. He remains passive the entire time Lawrence helps him out of his clothes and into the cool bathwater in the tub. “That better?” he asks.

Adam manages to open his eyes and tilt his head towards Lawrence where he kneels next to the tub. The cool water soothes his heated skin and makes him feel less like he’s going to melt any time soon. Lawrence gets a soft wash cloth and wets it before adding a soft scented body wash. Adam won’t be able to handle anything rough textured like the loofah or any powerful scents. Everything is just a bit too much for him right now.

He drifts in and out. For the first time, he can just relax during his heat. Let the surges wash over him like waves. Lawrence pours water over his head, wetting his hair enough to work a lather into it. The whole thing makes him feel comfortable and clean afterwards. Not the usual grimy mess he usually is during his heats.

When Lawrence decides he’s clean, he drains the tub and gets Adam to his feet once more. He pats him dry with a clean towel and guides him to his bed where he zeroes in on his nest and crawls into the centre of it.

“There,” Lawrence says. “Got everything you need?” Adam only burrows into what he thinks is one of Lawrence’s long sleeved shirts. He feels Lawrence hover over him, dip over him until he can rub his cheek against the back of Adam’s neck. Adam sighs contently and drifts off.

The first few hours of his heat are usually the most uncomfortable. There’s the sweating, his body overheating and trying to burn out what nasty stress chemicals and toxins have built up in his body in the past six months. There’s the general ache in his bones, a weariness that he sleeps off as much as he can. But there’s also the sense of freedom, of knowing there’s no expectations on him to do anything or be anyone, so he can just rest and relax and let his body figure this whole thing out while one of his mates watches over him.

He has a mate now. That feeling starts to sink in whenever he becomes aware of Lawrence’s presence. The atmosphere of the room shifts whenever he comes by. Adam is able to smell him, pick him out when he drifts by to see how Adam is. When Adam opens his eyes, Lawrence is there on the bed, just outside the nest, admiring him with soft eyes. He’ll tangle their fingers together, rub his fingers over Adam’s skin to catch him shiver from the sensation of it.

When he’s aware of heat at his back, he realizes that James must’ve snuck in at some point. There’s a hand on his bare hip. Lawrence is still petting the top of his hand. The attention is nice, and he listens in on them talking over him.

“When did it start?”

“Just a few hours ago. Started sweating so I got him in for a bath and then into bed.”

James’s hand on his hip slides up his side and back down. Adam breathes with the repetitive movement.

“He’s not purring.”

“He probably won’t unless he’s upset about something. Right now he’s just dozing. Sleeping off the bad parts. He’ll be better tomorrow.”

James is always so worried he’s going to hurt Adam, that he’ll do something wrong because he’s always treated Adam like an alpha. And while he knows nothing has changed since Adam came out as an omega, there’s been this hesitancy that Adam wants to see him grow the confidence to overcome. But Lawrence has the experience, the knowledge of being with an omega during their heats, so it’s only natural that he would defer to Lawrence on all of this. (And Lawrence has always had a tendency to be a pack alpha. It’s just in him to be a leader.)

Adam sleeps heavily that first night. He’s not aware of much, but his alphas keep him cool and comfortable as he sweats out the worst of his heat. When he wakes the next morning, he feels sticky. He could go for a bath or a shower if he feels like standing, but he’s caught up by Bruce’s scent. He moves around in his nest to get to where Bruce’s tank top is and burrows into it. It’s not all that overpowering. He doesn’t feel as over sensitized as he did yesterday, which is an improvement.

Footsteps down the hall bring his attention to the door. James steps in and sees that Adam’s awake. He smiles. “Hey, sleepyhead. Was wondering when you’d get up.” He sits on the edge of the bed and Adam stretches up when James bends over him and rubs the tip of his nose against his cheek. “Feel like getting up? Getting some breakfast?” James moves suddenly, holding onto Adam’s hand and it’s such a subtle movement that sends Adam’s stomach plummeting. He can’t stomach the thought of leaving the bed, leaving his nest behind. Is that what James wants him to do? He can’t . . . he doesn’t know why he’s so panicked.

He makes a wounded sound and James stops what he’s doing and pulls back slightly. He watches as Adam curls back into his nest, trying to calm his racing heart, but then James comes to the edge of the nest and rubs across his shoulders and back. It’s soothing and he can breathe with the movement.

“Okay,” James says. “You don’t have to leave. Not until you’re ready. I’ll send Lawrence a text to bring us some food. How does that sound?” He runs the tip of his nose up along Adam’s cheek, nuzzling into him softly and Adam’s feels himself relax as James takes up a spot alongside the nest. They spend a long time just looking at each other, nuzzling their noses together and breathing each other in.

Having James like this is good. He’s so much more empathetic than most alphas. He can be so easily swayed by another’s emotions, which is probably why he never takes the lead on many plans in the crew.

“Breakfast for the invalids,” Lawrence says as he announces his presence with a tray laden with food. He sits at the foot of the bed and James rises up to collect the tray from him and settle it over his lap.

Breakfast is simple. For Adam it’s all fruits and easy to stomach foods. He’s persuaded into drinking a glass of juice at the very least, and after some preening and petting from his mates, he finally feels ready to leave the nest if only for a few minutes to wash up in the bathroom before returning to his nest and curling up for the rest of the day.

Day two is usually when he sleeps. Exhausted by the earlier fever and nausea, he sleeps to recuperate. Lawrence and James make themselves at home. Lawrence moreso than James. He’s more comfortable moving around Adam while he’s like this. He gets James to wrangle in the TV so there’s some background noise to fill in the space. Adam doesn’t mind. He welcomes the change in environment.

James is the one to set out on tasks for the both of them, falling in line with whatever Lawrence asks of him. It seems to give him some stability and peace of mind knowing that everything is being taken care of.

When he’s out of the room making dinner, Lawrence has Adam all to himself, and in the evening Adam starts to feel a new type heat take place under his skin. This one is gentler than before, more pleasing as it settles right behind his navel. Lawrence seems to pick up on this slight change in Adam’s mood. He rolls on his side to look at Adam. He raises a hand to push back the all too short strands of hair on the side of his head. Adam pushes into the touch and moves closer to him, starts creeping over the side of the nest to get closer to him.

He noses his way along the collar of Lawrence’s shirt, trying to get at as much skin as he can. Lawrence responds by taking off his shirt so Adam can revel in it all and try to scent against him. He may be omega, but he likes the alpha concept of scenting just like the rest of them, and he knows Lawrence is a sucker for it too.

He manages to pull Lawrence into the nest with him, getting him so he’s in between Adam’s legs. They’re pressed together, skin on skin. Lawrence simply hovers over him, waits until he sees what Adam wants. Adam tilts his chin up, giving Lawrence the permission to come in and scent him. Lawrence presses his nose into the gap where shoulder and neck meet. Adam tilts his head to the side further, eyes fluttering when he feels teeth graze his skin.

There’s a tug in his stomach, just behind his navel that makes him arch his hips up. Footsteps down the hall alert Adam to James’s presence. Their eyes meet and James halts at first. He stays at the doorway just to watch the two of them, to see how wantonly Adam is moving against Lawrence, asking for more without using any words. Adam stretches out his hand, craning his head in James’s direction. He wants him here. His heart is starting to pound almost painfully in his chest. Then James crosses the threshold and comes to the edge of the bed. He goes down on his knees and simply watches.

Lawrence grinds his hips against Adam’s and ears a moan from him. James fists one of his hands into the bedsheets, transfixed on the scene before him. Adam feels so overwhelmed. A lot is happening around him and it’s hard to keep track of it all. So many scents and sensations. He raises his hands above his head and keeps them there, lets his eyes close, and lets the both of them consume him in any way they see fit.

Lawrence leads. James follows. They put their hands on him, toying with the sensitive parts of his body. Lawrence gets a hand on his dick and James gets the confidence to come up onto the bed, into the nest, and start licking at Adam’s nipples. He’s hard and leaking and this is just the tip of the iceberg. He knows how Lawrence likes to play. He knows how James likes to play. And together it always leaves Adam feeling pleasingly sore and entirely complete.

He comes rather quickly, can hardly handle what’s happening between them. James kisses his throat as he comes down from his high, Lawrence moving out from between his legs. He feels the graze of teeth against his neck. And then a harder pinch at the juncture of his neck and shoulder. A rumble from his chest catches the attention of all three of them and he opens his eyes to find both James and Lawrence looking down at him.

James’s eyes seem clouded. Like he got wrapped up in this entire situation and was going on his instincts alone.

It’s a question that Adam has never considered before. Would he like to be bitten? Would he like to wear the mark of an alpha and show it to the world? Finally be free with his omega self and nature.

The purr, admittedly, caught him off guard. The nip caught him by surprise, and James looks worried. Like he overstepped his boundaries. One step ready to flee. But then Lawrence is pressing in, laying a heavy hand against James’s neck to settle him. When he squeezes his hand, James shivers and collapses next to Adam. The two of them gaze at each other and Adam sluggishly angles his body towards him. Lawrence bends over him, running the tip of his nose against Adam’s cheek.

“My two boys,” he murmurs, kissing Adam’s temple and squeezing James’s neck until his eyes flutter.

This first tide of arousal eventually fades, and Adam goes with it. Someone—probably Lawrence—wipes him down, and when he wakes next, James is right up against him. He’s dragging his fingers absentmindedly against the scar on Adam’s shoulder. Adam hums and he feels James’s lips against his shoulder.

“Didn’t mean to startle you,” James says, and Adam rolls over until he’s pinning James against the bed. James snickers.

“No more words,” Adam says with as much clarity as he can muster. “Don’t care ‘bout it.” He means the bite thing. Wearing a mark like that. But he can’t get all the words out. He doesn’t know if James even understands him, but James sets a hand on his back and lets the matter rest.

* * *

Day three of the heat is all sweat and arousal. He wakes up grinding his dick into the mattress. He sort of hates how mindless he feels during his heats. Sometimes he just wants someone to fuck him. Just take the edge off a bit and allow him to rest peacefully. But that doesn’t happen and he won’t get any relief any time soon and nothing he does gives him anything.

Whenever one of his alphas come in, he pulls them down with him until they get their hands on him and jerk him off quickly. But it’s never quite enough, so he begs, he moans, he whines and does everything he can so they can get their fingers _in him. _Fill him up and make the stretch feel good.

Lawrence is the first one to actually fuck him. He doesn’t know why they’re tiptoeing around him while he’s in heat. Or maybe he’s just looking into things that really aren’t there. Maybe he’s just too desperate now that he has alphas here to see him through the heat for once. He doesn’t know how affected alphas get by being in proximity to an omega in heat. It varies. There are some that have no self-control and it’s just sex all the time. And then there are the reserved and controlled ones who can still manage to function as a person. Lawrence definitely as a lot of control over himself. He’s certainly been James’s rock through this entire thing.

Lawrence fucks him slowly, makes it last so Adam doesn’t feel like he’s going to unravel any time soon. Adam dozes afterwards and when he next wakes, he convinces James to come in between his legs and give them both some relief. James seems riled up by Adam in heat, especially when he gets his dick in him and it’s like only the physical sensations between them matters. Like they’ve been reduced to their baser instincts. Lawrence hovers beside them for that. Keeping an eye on them both so they don’t accidentally hurt each other.

The surprise comes when Adam suddenly feels teeth, sharp and poignant against his neck. James’s teeth clamped onto his skin. Not hard enough to break skin but enough that it’s going to leave a dark mark on his neck for days. Adam can do nothing but accept the short, sharp thrusts James gives him, holding him in place by force that keeps him pinned. He likes the feeling of it. How helpless and yet safe he feels. It’s a confusing mix of emotions and just when he thinks he’s about to get overwhelmed and spiral, James comes in him with a grunt and licks over the sore mark on his neck. And Lawrence is there to care for them both.

Adam wants to say ‘I love you’ to both of them. They’ve made him feel so safe and secure in knowing himself and his body that he doesn’t need to hide himself anymore. He doesn’t have any expectations on him to perform anymore. They’re here for him and his heart feels so full and his head so light and—

* * *

He wakes up to sunlight streaming in through his window. It’s day four. He doesn’t feel as muddled or overheated. In fact, he feels like himself if not for how disgustingly sticky his body feels. He rolls onto his back so he can get himself to sit up. He feels weary, but in control of himself. The heat has faded and all he’s thinking about is slipping into a hot bath and soaking until he feels human again.

Before he can get his feet on the floor, the door opens. There’s James. Big blue eyes, hair freshly combed back and looking so neat. Colour floods his cheeks. _He’s cute when he blushes._

“You’re up.”

Adam nods. “Almost. Was gonna try to stand, too.”

“Big boy.”

_“Wouldn’t you know._”

They laugh, if only a bit awkwardly because Adam reaches a hand to his neck and feels the sore spot there left by James the previous night. He wonders how dark it’ll be. He presses down on it and feels a twinge.

“I, uh, drew a bath for you,” James says. He’s ducking his head, hanging back by the doorway, and James is so sweet like this. So careful and unsure and Adam just wants to tuck him close for a moment.

He gets to his feet, a bit unsteady, but James is there to catch him. “One step at a time.” Adam falls against him and lets himself be led to the bathroom and into the tub to have a nice long soak. He dresses in soft and loose clothing because he feels a bit hyper-sensitive. Always is after a heat. But he covers up from his chin all the way down to his ankles. Feeling bashful is also a side-effect of the post heat and despite Lawrence and James being such wonderful mates, Adam would be fine if they didn’t have sex for the next month.

“Look who’s up and ready to join the world,” Lawrence says. He’s prepared what looks like a full feast for breakfast. Everything you could imagine. Eggs. Sausage and bacon. Toast. Hash browns. Adam’s stomach growls loudly and he quickly takes a seat in front of the served plate and starts to eat without having said a word to Lawrence at all. Lawrence takes this in stride and comes over to kiss the top of his head. “Good morning to you too.”

The food is dense with protein and carbs, everything Adam needs have surviving off of nothing but water and fruit. He has two large helpings before he finally pushes his plate away satisfied.

“Didn’t know you could eat so much,” James says, lightheartedly.

“Heat always makes me hungry afterwards,” he says. When he’s done, he stretches his arms above his head and moves to crash out on the couch. There’s no pressure on him to return the work and keep up his façade, so he can rest as long as he wants.

The other two move about the apartment like they live here. Lawrence cleans the kitchen and airs out the apartment by opening the windows, and James takes care of washing the sheets from the bedroom. He comes out holding a few articles of clothing. “Are these from . . . is this Elyse’s old college sweater?”

Adam raises his head. “Uh, yeah. I just, uh. I don’t know. Felt like taking it.” In struggling with being open about his omega nature, Adam finds he can’t really describe why he does the things that he does. The best he can come up with is it’s instinct.

James only nods and tosses everything in with the wash. He doesn’t bring it up again, and Adam is only mildly stressed about having to return everything to their rightful owners. He’s sure they’ve noticed by now. They’re just not saying anything because they’re probably too smitten by the idea of Adam being the pack omega. A sense of pride and heartfelt emotion that Adam would choose all of them, just as he chose Lawrence and James.

A lot is left unsaid after they leave the apartment the next day. Adam feels like he’s coming down with cabin fever, so they’ve decided to hit up the movies with the rest of the crew. It’s nice to see some new faces when they meet up in the parking lot, planning for dinner first and then entertainment. Bruce throws an arm around his shoulders and squeezes Adam like he’s a kid brother of the group. Elyse falls against his side, and Matt bumps shoulders with him when they walk over to the restaurant.

“Thought we’d have to come over and knock down the door to get you guys out,” Bruce says. His lighthearted concern is appreciated, and Adam loves that he’s keeping his rough candor, rather than moving into something sweet and uncharacteristic for Bruce’s type of concern.

“No way you’re kicking in my door, Bruce,” Adam replies with a mock scowl.

“Maybe next time you’ll ask to borrow a shirt of mine before locking yourself away for four days. I’m a generous man, Kovic.”

“That has yet to be seen.”

Bruce shakes his head and leads the rest of them into the restaurant.

Adam sits next to Lawrence that night, across from James and Elyse. He can press his feet up against James’s and stay close to the both of them—his alphas and by greater extent his pack. He feels in tune with them in a way he’s never felt before. They offer him security and balance in his otherwise chaotic life. He still has his questions, his worries. About James and his lack of confidence in himself to care for his mate and how Lawrence feels about being their own pack alpha in a way. But there’s no rush to discuss these things now. They have as much time as this city will give them, and Adam feels no rush in speeding this relationship along. For once, he’s content.


End file.
